The Descent of Venus: A Shamanic Drum Journey to the Underworld

What is Venus and how is her journey through Scorpio reflected in our lives? We will journey together, led by the beat of an elk skin hand drum, into the depths of our own shadows. At this time of elongating shadows, the veil between the worlds of light and shadow are thinnest. This is the ideal time to commune with our ancestors, and track our own lineage into the deep past. The shadow is a deep, dark place filled with history, mystery, and disowned parts. This is an ideal time to work with the seasonal cycles of energy to plumb our own depths in the spirit of owning all of who we are.

As Venus travels retrograde through Scorpio we are reminded of the myths of Inana and Persephone. What does it mean to have the masks of ego torn away? What is the truth in our soul that we find at these depths? What are these new awarenesses and what must be done in order to accommodate them? These are some of the questions we will seek to answer in this workshop that is driven by the power of Venus in Scorpio and Halloween/Samhain/Day of the Dead.

PLEASE BRING: All participants are encouraged to bring a journal to record information they receive during their journeys. Also, a small sentimental token, that reminds you of a place of open heart, to include on our temporary altar that brings a piece of you into the all. These elements will assist us to build and feel a sense of unity while we each record our personal work.

Michael Viola is a psychotherapist (LPC Intern), shamanic practitioner, artist, and herbalist. He received a MA in Counseling from Southwestern College in Santa Fe, NM and a BA from Swarthmore College in PA. He has apprenticed with master herbalists and learned from shamen in the Peruvian Amazon and American Southwest. He focuses on three main relationships: the one with your Self (the truth in your heart), with your Community (family, relationships), and with the Earth (stewardship and responsibility for the sentient being upon which we live). He named his practice VOW because the path towards the truth in self-discovery requires commitment and responsibility. He describes his approach as Humanistic, Archetypal, Jungian, Transpersonal, and Shamanic. Through this blend of approaches, we can work to contextualize all of your experiences into the greater fabric of the story/lesson/purpose of your life. Treating events and conditions as symbols as well as mundane realities will allow us to extract as much meaning from the rich and responsive world around us. He leads workshops and see private clients both in person and online at www.michaelpatrickviola.com. Follow him Instagram @VOWPDX